Smoky Interlude
by blob80
Summary: Womanizing, vulgar, and rude are all words used to describe the vagrant that was Mugen. But when he drops by an old friend's home with questions about the enigmatic, "Sunflower Samurai," he ends up finding a place to return to once his journey's finally over. (One-Shot).


_Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo._

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 **Smoky Interlude** © blob80

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 _A/N: I definitely could have fleshed out the characters more if this were a multi-fic. But, alas, it isn't. Oh well._ _ **If you're interested in my writing beyond fanfiction, then please support me by ordering my books.**_ _The level of writing, I promise, is way beyond anything I put up here—as this one-shot was written years ago._

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"Jeez! Where are we going?!" Fuu complained.

Her ponytail bobbed up and down, as she struggled to keep up with Mugen's large strides. Jin followed languidly behind, keeping to himself and ignoring Fuu's noisy cries that were steadily growing louder. The vagabond samurai didn't bother stopping, heading toward his destination with purpose.

The three rounded a corner and before them stood a small, concealed shop. It was a gloomy little place, one of those buildings you'd just pass by and never remember. Mugen scratched his head and tapped his metal enforced geta onto the dirt ground, making unnecessary noise as if he were still debating whether or not to enter.

"What's in here?" Fuu asked.

"She's on good terms with the East and West side yakuza. We might be able to get information on that sunflower samurai." Mugen answered with a shrug, gathering up the courage to slide the door open.

They were greeted by the sight of a plain, eight tatami mat room. The room was bare except for a large, wooden table in the center. Papers and other parchment littered its every surface. There was a door on the far corner, the clatter of pots and a woman speaking a whirl of profanities coming from behind it.

"Who's that?" Fuu asked, tilting her head in wonder.

"It's an acquaintance of Mugen's," Jin muttered, crossing his arms. "They probably want to kill him.

"You're the only one here with acquaintances out to get you." Mugen said, not even bothering to look at him.

The door creaked open and they all turned to see a woman donning a simple red kimono. Her black hair was tied in a loose bun and she held a long pipe up to her lips, taking a long drag and blowing smoke in their direction. Her other hand was holding a large bottle of booze by its head. She stared them down, not even a little bit surprised at their unwelcome intrusion inside her home.

"Mugen," was the only thing that left her lips. She continued her minute long inspection of them as if judging their worth with her heated gaze. Her face was a perfectly composed mask, not giving away a thing.

"Yo, Suru." Mugen tapped his geta to the ground again. A nervous gesture. Very unlike him.

She gave him a secretive little grin, before dangling the bottle of booze before him. "Wanna have a drink with me?"

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Everyone sat around the—now clear—table, busily emptying the contents of the bottle. Suru had brought out some fried fish, the three travelers finishing the food in record time. It was amazing how they didn't choke on the stuff. She eyed Jin for a moment, the man hadn't spoken a word and instead focused on the meal before him. Once they had put away most of the food, only then did Suru begin speaking again.

"What brings you three here?" She asked Mugen, who sat by her side.

He only pointed a finger at Fuu, before going back to his meal.

"Mugen said you could tell us about the sunflower samurai!" Fuu said excitedly around a mouthful of food.

She raised an eyebrow. "Sunflower... samurai?"

Fuu nodded. "He's a samurai that smells of sunflowers."

Well, that was vague.

Suru didn't know how this ditzy woman was able to get someone like Mugen to accompany her. The man just didn't care for these sorts of things. He was the type to travel solo with nothing holding him down. What the hell was he doing trying to find a man that could be anywhere in the world? And furthermore, how does one even smell like sunflowers? Do they spend their time rolling in a field of them?

Suru didn't bother asking these things though and instead responded bluntly. "I don't know a samurai like that."

"Mugen said that you had connections with the yakuza. Would they know anything?" Fuu pressed on, hopeful.

Suru shot Mugen a scathing glance. "I've never heard the yakuza speak of a samurai that smelt of sunflowers. Do you have a different description for me?"

"I met him as a child, you see." Fuu explained, nostalgically. "So, I don't remember all too much about him except that he—"

"Smelled of sunflowers." Suru finished with a disinterested tone. "Your account is vague. Maybe some of the yakuza have seen him, but with that kind of half-assed description they'd probably direct you to a field of flowers instead."

Mugen snickered. "Harsh as always."

"I don't want to hear that from you." Suru shot back.

At her words, Fuu's entire form slumped down. A perfect representation of her mood. "Oh."

"He's a man, isn't he?" Suru said, bringing her pipe back up to her lips. "Hit a few Red Light Districts and you're bound to find someone drunk enough to notice a samurai that smells of sunflowers."

"Red Light Districts, huh?" Mugen muttered, speaking his thoughts out loud. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

"Huh?" Fuu responded dumbly.

Jin nodded at Mugen's words.

"Eh? Wait! Wait!" Fuu yelled. "There's no way he'd go to some sleazy red light district!"

"What a pure girl." Suru said teasingly.

"Naïve's more like it." Mugen insulted.

"Innocence is supposed to be a virtue." Jin chimed in, taking a sip of his saké.

"No, stop!" Fuu covered her ears in a futile attempt to drown out their voices. "He'd never go to places like that."

"He's a man y'know." Mugen said with a lecherous grin. "Men have needs like that."

"Prime example number one of a man with various needs is right here." Suru pointed a thumb at Mugen. "And there's number two." She pointed to Jin who quietly sipped at his saké.

Jin's eyes were closed, blocking out the conversation, as he disappeared into whatever world his mind had decided to conjure up for him so that he wouldn't have to take part in the conversation.

Mugen shot Suru a sinful grin. "How 'bout it Suru? Want to try filling those needs?"

"Want to lose your tongue?"

"Might be worth it." He shrugged. "You look like you could use a man's company."

She gave him a fierce glare. "Say anymore and I'll kill you."

The corner of his mouth tilted up in a challenging half smile. "A little violence makes things all the more interesting."

"Mugen," her voice was a warning.

The former pirate held up his hands in the universal sign of surrender, before moving to refill his empty cup.

"Anyway," Suru waved a hand as if physically brushing aside Mugen's perverse antics. He'd stop eventually. At least that was what she hoped. Suru wasn't all that concerned about why Fuu wanted to find that sunflower samurai. It was none of her business, so she didn't bother asking. Rather she was more concerned about... "Why is Mugen with you?"

"Is that strange?" Jin spoke up in that calm way of his. His voice, though quiet, pierced through the air. Heard by all.

"It is." Suru answered, eyeing them. "Mugen isn't the type to follow anyone around. Let alone a little girl."

"How would you know that?"

Suru shrugged, holding up her wrist to expose two blue ring tattoos. "Because this guys an idiot."

"Shut up." Mugen interrupted, scratching his head in irritation and giving her a fierce glare that would have had lesser men cowering in fear.

Fuu's eyes widened. "Are those… prison tattoos?"

"We grew up together." Mugen answered irately, losing that carefree attitude for a moment, as he downed another cup of saké.

"Didn't you grow up in Ryukyu?!" Fuu spluttered.

Mugen didn't answer and Suru sighed loudly, trying to get their focus back to her question. "So, what's this nihilistic bastard doing with you two?" She asked.

"I—I saved him from execution."

A brief look of surprise flashed through Suru's eyes, before she concealed it with a look of clear disappointment. "What a shame. The world could've used one less vulgar womanizer."

Mugen glared at her. "Just shut up already"

Suru smiled sweetly. "You never change. When you can't get what you want your temper flares."

He grimaced and with a deft hand, fingered the sleeve of her robe. She let him, watching his hand carefully, before it fell back to the empty space between them. He really hadn't changed from the last time he'd suddenly dropped in for a visit. His subtle touches always made her chest pound. A warm sensation pooled deep inside the pit of her stomach before spreading up to her head and down to each fingertip, filling her nerves and making a surge of excitement race throughout her body.

With a sigh, Mugen said, "So, you don't know anything?"

"As I said, it's an _incredibly_ vague description," Suru defended, shaking her head to banish her thoughts. "And I don't go around sniffing random strangers I see on the street."

"Tch." Mugen leaned back on his palms and turned to Fuu. "Back to square one."

Suru smiled as the two samurai before her sighed exasperatedly. Seemed they were already tired of being bodyguards.

"Why don't you stay the night?" Suru offered. "Don't expect any futons though, I've only got one."

"Really?" Fuu asked with bright eyes. She was the type that wore her heart on her sleeve. "Thank you! That'd be a great help! We don't have much money." She glared at her two bodyguards. They were strong, but that was pretty much it. "These two don't do anything but eat through the little money I get from doing odd jobs."

Mugen grimaced, ignoring Fuu's remark and focusing on Suru's words. "Why would we stay if we have to be acquainted with the floor anyway?"

"Don't you want a roof over your head?"

"I want to get in your futon."

Suru narrowed her eyes. "Don't let your libido get the better of you, Mugen. I'll throw you out on the street."

He grinned.

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Suru's eyes snapped open when she heard the quick sound of light footfalls. Her eyes unable to see for a moment in the darkness of her room. The other three had gone to bed in the bare room where they had drank themselves to sleep after totally emptying her supply of saké.

She'd have to go buy more soon. Hopefully they wouldn't decide to stay another night, she didn't think her savings pouch could handle something like that.

The footsteps got closer and she fingered the hilt of the dagger that she kept beneath her pillow. She heard a sword clatter noisily to the ground, it looked familiar and when she looked up her eyes met with Mugen's dark orbs.

The darkness surrounding him fell away, as if making way for him.

She sat up as Mugen dropped to a crouch before her. His elbows on his knees and his hands dangling between his legs. He was staring at her with a completely neutral face, not saying a word despite being the one to wake her in the dead of night.

"Did you want something from me?" Suru whispered. Their eyes clashing.

"Let go of the dagger first." He muttered. "I can't relax when you're holding onto something like that."

She didn't let go.

With an exasperated frown, Mugen clasped a hand around her wrist. His grip tight enough to bruise and rough enough to get her to forcefully drop the tiny dagger. The small blade clattered noiselessly onto the futon.

"Mu—"

He silenced her with a kiss that slammed her head against the wall with its force.

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Mugen inhaled the sweet morning air that only dawn brought with it. The sun was just beginning to rise, soon it would be out and attempt to blind everyone with its bright rays. The three of them stood in front of the small house, ready to leave and continue their journey. He would've liked to stay longer, but Fuu was in an unusual hurry to get a move on. Mugen looked out at the sky, rubbing his eyes sleepily and failing at suppressing a yawn.

His clothes reeked of tobacco.

"Is it okay not to say goodbye?" Fuu asked, looking up at the house.

"I'll be back anyway." Mugen said carelessly.

Jin eyed Mugen's disheveled state with critical eyes. "You disappeared last night."

"I was around."

Jin didn't press him further. That was something Mugen liked about the uptight samurai. He knew a lot about boundaries. Something that couldn't be said about Fuu, who covered a yawn with her hand. Still obviously tired. If she was so tired, he didn't understand why they couldn't just kick back and relax for another day. They were getting free food after all.

"Let's go then." Fuu said, getting used to calling the shots. Mugen couldn't wait until he was finally free from this little bodyguard duty.

He adjusted the strap of his sword and noisily hit the ground with his geta in a gesture of farewell.

"Mugen."

The sleepy voice that called his name had him turning his head. His eyes met with Suru's, who leaned against the sliding door of her house in a thin gray robe. Her black hair fell around her in waves. Suru's eyes looked hazy and unfocused from lack of sleep and despite the early hour, she still held that damned pipe, blowing smoke in his face.

He'd miss that smell.

It was a scent he'd always associate with her.

He gave her a large grin. It was a wonder that his cheeks didn't crack.

"I'm off."

"Be careful," she replied. Sending him off with a careless shrug and an ambiguous tip of her head. She saw Fuu open her mouth to speak, to thank her for housing them, but Jin silenced her with a hand.

"I'll be back," Mugen said in that gruff way of his.

Suru scoffed. "Don't bother."

He ignored her words and said coolly, "Wait for me."

Mugen left with his hand raised in farewell. Suru watched the three of them until they were only another speck in the distance with a large smile decorating her face.


End file.
